4 Tips for Removing Mold From Your Roof
The word mold may disgust you. It may make you cringe. But, what do you do when you notice mold on your roof? Do you run away and try to never think about it again? We sure hope not. One thing is for sure, you certainly don’t want it to spread by ignoring it. Molded roofs are usually found in climates with warm, humid summers. So, if you live in this climate, make sure you are aware of this possibility and when you do notice mold, make sure you do something about it ASAP to prevent the growth. We know that most people don’t know where to start so, here are four tips for removing mold from your roof.
1). Equipment
Wearing the proper safety gear is the first key step in this process. A breathing mask, a pair of rubber gloves, and goggles are ideal to have to protect you from any accidents. Your eyes and airways are sensitive to mold and may be extremely irritated if you decide not to use any protective equipment. Pants, long socks, and a long-sleeved shirt are highly recommended as well. Finally, you are going to want some slip-resistant shoes. Make sure to have all equipment on before you climb the roof and keep it on after to prevent any chemical or mold transfer. Safety first!
2). Removing The Mold
If you have any shrubbery near your roof, cover them with plastic before you start the mold removal process, as runoff chemicals can be harmful to plants/trees in the area. If you don’t take this precaution, it can affect the growth of your flower bed, vegetable garden, or gorgeous tree and we wouldn’t want to see that.
Make sure to wet your foundation first and thoroughly rinse with clean water. Following that, you can go the less expensive route. Yes, you read it right. You may not have to spend a fortune for a small roof problem. You can spray wash the roof with a 50% water and 50% bleach mixture in order to remove the mold. The more you spray, the more mold that you will notice deteriorating. Over a period of ten to fifteen minutes, the roof will start to react in a way that will keep the mold from spreading furthermore. Removing the mold is a fairly easy process. After all, you can knock this out in no time.
3). Spraying
Although it might be a tad more expensive, using a powerful chemical spray is the best approach for removing mold. There are several products on the market that will do the job right. For example, Trisodium Phosphate will help remove the stains and discoloration, while chlorine will kill the mold-causing bacteria. Some homeowners are more reactive to chemicals than others. So, it really is a personal choice with which product to use. As long as the mold is removed, right?
4). Preventing Mold Growth
No one wants to have to remove mold from their roof. Therefore, it is important to take the necessary steps to prevent mold growth in the future. Cleaning your roof every year will help keep the mold away. With weather, environment pollution, and other weather conditions, mold is easy to build up. Inspecting your roof at the end of the Summer and during warm, rainy weather periods is a great preventive method.
Whether you go about this the DIY route or not, mold is never a pretty look. Use these key tips mentioned throughout and you will be sure to keep that headache away. With the best care, the mold removal process will be less painful for you. Great luck with your mold removing.
